Larry Ellison is an American tech entrepreneur. He co-founded Oracle Corporation in 1977. He served as CEO until 2014 and now is executive chairman and chief technology officer. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and the University of Chicago but did not graduate.
As of September 10, 2025, Ellison became the richest person in the world. A surge in Oracle’s stock, driven by booming AI-cloud contracts, lifted his net worth to about US $393 billion. This gain dethroned Elon Musk, making Ellison the current number-one richest individual globally.
Ellison is also known for owning most of the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi, investing broadly (including in Tesla), and supporting medical research and education. He remains a powerful and high-profile figure in both business and philanthropy.
Who is Larry Ellison? Check Education, Career and Other Key Details
Larry Ellison is an American tech entrepreneur. He co-founded Oracle Corporation in 1977. He led the company as CEO until 2014 and is now its executive chairman and chief technology officer. He was born in New York City and grew up in Chicago.
As of September 2025, Ellison became the richest person in the world. Bloomberg estimates his net worth at US $393 billion, overtaking Elon Musk.
Early Life & Education
Larry Ellison was born on August 17, 1944, in New York City. He was adopted and raised in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. He attended the University of Illinois and later the University of Chicago. However, he dropped out from both and did not complete his degree.
Career
Ellison started his career writing database code. In 1977, he co-founded Software Development Laboratories. The company later became Oracle. He served as CEO until 2014, then became executive chairman and CTO. Oracle grew into a global leader in enterprise database and cloud services.
Personal Life
Ellison has been married several times. He has two children, David and Megan, with his third wife, Barbara Boothe. He owns nearly 41–98 % of the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi. He is also known for his passion for yachting, real estate, and philanthropy.
Recognition
Over his career, Ellison has received several honors:
- Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1997.
- Inducted into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame in 2013.
- Received the Rebels With A Cause Award from the USC Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine in 2019.
- Named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2024.
Other recognitions noted include Entrepreneur of the Year and Distinguished Medical Informatics Award, along with being included in Forbes wealth rankings.
Philanthropy
Ellison has pledged to give away much of his wealth. He signed The Giving Pledge in 2010, committing to donate the majority of his fortune. He has supported medical research and education through foundations like the Ellison Medical Foundation, established in 1997 to fund biomedical research in aging.
His giving also includes donations to USC’s Transformative Medicine Institute and educational projects at Stanford and Harvard. Though generous, critics say his actual giving lags behind peers, noting unfulfilled promises and calls for greater transparency.
Investments & Legacy
Ellison has diversified beyond technology:
- He owns nearly the entire Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi, a sailing team, and the Indian Wells tennis tournament.
- In 2018, he invested about US $1 billion in Tesla, becoming one of its largest individual shareholders and served on Tesla’s board.
- He has also funded a major research campus near Oxford—the Ellison Institute of Technology—focused on AI, healthcare, climate, and food security. It’s set to open by 2027 with a $1.3 billion budget.
Net Worth
As of September 2025, Ellison’s net worth surged to approximately US $393 billion, making him the world's richest person, ahead of Elon Musk (around $385 billion) according to Bloomberg. This jump was fueled by Oracle’s stock soaring over 40%, driven by strong AI-cloud deals.
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